Sunday, September 19, 2004

Economic inequality

Another piece in the Star Tribune today (hey, it's what I read on Sunday mornings) talks about rising economic inequality in our country. Why Republican's aren't as concerned about this as Democrats puzzles me. As the piece points out, high inequality and democracy do not mix. The U.S. already has much more inequality than most other industrialized democratic nations. If this trend continues, we are looking at a Brazilination of our country, with dire consequences.

Nobody thinks that the government should have policies that create rigid economic equality. That is not good for democracy either. However, there is a need to correct this before it gets out of control. If I can admit that inequality, entrepreneurship, and the possibility to climb up the economic ladder are necessary for a free market economy, then surely conservatives should be able to admit that limiting inequality is necessary for democracy.